Does anyone have any suggestions on how to get a cat that can't be picked up into a carrier. He probably will have to have the rest of his teeth pulled, and the first time he went both me and my husband were bleeding allover. We bought a large carrier for this time, and the vet said he could give us a sedative pill, but we can't give him pills either. Last time we left him at the vets for a week just so he could get antibiotics every day.

14+kitties

October 17th, 2009, 07:41 PM

Could you have the carrier set up a few days ahead of time in the room he is in most often, put a tasty treat or two on the floor by the carrier, as the day gets closer put the treat closer and closer to the carrier, then right inside the door, then back further till he has to go all the way in to get the treat. Then you can close the door quickly.
You could also, as the very last extreme measure if all else fails, put the carrier on edge, scruff him quickly and put him in backwards. I have done that with a couple of my ferals in the past.

catlover2

October 17th, 2009, 09:34 PM

The method 14K suggests is a good one for a very difficult cat that absolutely hates the carrier.

Before you pick up cat put on some heavy leather gloves. An alternate way of putting cat in carrier is to hold cat's front legs together before you put it in the carrier. Good luck.

rjesak

October 18th, 2009, 07:43 AM

One of my cats is terribly skittish and hates being picked up. Last time I took him to the vet, I had a friend help me. I hate to do it because it felt like I was terrorizing poor Zander but it was effective. We closed the door to the room he was in, I chased him out from under the bed (his favorite place to hide) and she threw a blanket over him. We were able to use the blanket to pick him up (which spared us his claws) and deposit him in the carrier.

To be honest, if you can get him using 14+ suggestion, I would. I hated chasing my cat and making him feel even more threatened by me.

lindapalm

October 18th, 2009, 08:23 PM

14+kitties I've tried doing that with the carrier and he was gone before I could even get near the door. Rjesak the blanket was the way we got him last time, after 45 minutes of chasing. I was too dumb to close the door to the room he was in, and we ran through the entire house forever before I threw the blanket on him. I wish they would come up with some type of spray that you could spray in his face that would totally relax him for 2-3minutes. I've been putting off taking him cause my leg was broken, but he's getting worse and needs help. They keep taking out a teeth and he gets bad again after about a year, I think I'm going to have them all taken out this time. Has anyone else done this with good results? Can you give the two week antibiotic shot after teeth removal, or won't it work for dental stuff. No way I can pill him, I'll have to leave him at the vet for a week and have him do it, costs so much that way I hate to though.

14+kitties

October 18th, 2009, 08:31 PM

Chasing a cat to get him into a carrier is not great. It is very intimidating to have a large human come after you with evil intentions. Why can't he be picked up? What is his history? How old is he? Is this one of your kitties that is spraying/peeing?

The carrier method takes a lot of time and patience. That is why you have to get him used to the carrier before trying to get him in it. Have you tried putting his food in it for a few days prior to taking him to the vet? Maybe feeding him in it, near it at first and moving closer, may get him settled. Cats are not stupid. They know when something is up.

lindapalm

October 18th, 2009, 08:58 PM

He was a feral cat we got 5 years ago, is very nice but don't try picking him up or walking up to him or don't move suddenly if he's on your lap. He's not one of my sprayers, and I know its horrible to chase and blanket him, but don't know what else to do. After trying the carrier with treats and tuna, I even thought a have a heart trap would be better than chasing him. He laughed when he saw that. He is extemely suspicious of everything, which is why I can't put pills in food, he eat the food, soon as the pills in it, he knows. I've tried pill poppers, he walks away, thats why the vets sedative would be useless. He won't bite but will shred you to ribbons if necessary

14+kitties

October 18th, 2009, 09:24 PM

Could you try sitting on the floor close to the carrier with the treats in hand? Give him a few without trying to get him in and then slower move them closer? Do it a couple of hours before going to the vet. As in, give yourself lots of time so you are not tense when you are trying it. He will sense that.
Try covering the carrier with a blanket so he thinks it is a safe hideaway. Put his favourite blanket inside or whatever he sleeps on. Make it as comfy as possible. If you do this for a week or so before he goes in he may consider it "his" new house and go in voluntarily when you throw in a treat or two.
One other thing. Make sure the carrier is very well sterilized and cleaned. There may be lingering odours from your other kitties which he will react to. You could use the recipe we gave you a while back with your sprayers to clean the carrier.

Beside this I am tapped. The only other way I can think of is scruffing quickly and putting him in the carrier backside first. Not ideal.

Oh, and you are right. He would laugh at the live trap. He was probably caught in one. Normally they remember them and are not anxious to repeat the experience.

lindapalm

October 18th, 2009, 09:39 PM

I'm going to get the carrier out for a few days, I haven't made the vet appointment yet, I'll work on the carrier first. He's too smart, I don't think it will work but have nothing to lose. If I have to I'll just have to lock him in the room and do the blanket thing, its better than having him suffer by not going.

Khari

October 19th, 2009, 02:02 PM

One thing that helps when I put my cat into the carrier is put him in backwards. Also, try spraying the carrier with Feliway for a few days before the vet visit. Also, apply Bach Pet rescue Remedy on the leather part of the cats ear for a couple of days before the vet trip. This may help calm him down. Also, spray the carrier and blanket in the carrier about 10 minutes before putting him inside the carrier.

I wish you luck :thumbs up

Jim Hall

October 19th, 2009, 02:06 PM

lol man can i relate

my du is way too smart to get duped into a carrier for treats

they all goo suggestions best of luck

the1mag

October 19th, 2009, 04:25 PM

We also have a cat we have a struggle with when we try to get her into the carrier, so I bought a different one that opens at the top as well as the front. Getting her in the top is much easier, especially if there's someone else there to close it quickly.

chico2

October 19th, 2009, 04:28 PM

Lindapalm,the only way we can get ours in to the carrier,is to put the carrier on end,one person holds it and the other puts the cat in backlegs first.
Wearing gloves is a good idea.As for pilling,I crush a pill in a teaspoon of food and my Rocky laps it all up,no problem.
Try giving him a whole pill,is useless,he spits it out. Good Luck!!

clm

October 19th, 2009, 05:24 PM

There are going to be times when you will need to be able to get this cat into a carrier quickly and not have days to try to coax him in, or times when you're going to have to give this cat meds.
Wear thick sweatshirts and a good thick fleece sweatshirt on top of that so you're not going to get ripped to shreds. A couple of pairs of good thick work gloves or leather gloves as well. Then you can pick the cat up with confidence and place him in the carrier. Presenting fear or anxiousness to the cat before you go to pick him up will only upset him more, so if you're appropriately dressed where you don't have to worry about the cat harming you, then you'll be calmer and may make him calmer as well.
Get the vet and his assistant to show you how to hold this cat so you can give him pills.
I've had a few cats, rescued ferels that were also very hard to handle, but that can't get in the way of them getting medication or a visit to the vet.
Hoping in the meantime he cooperates with you in coaxing him in.

clm

Love4himies

October 19th, 2009, 05:57 PM

I don't have any suggestions, but would love to hear how you finally manage to get him in.

14+kitties

October 19th, 2009, 09:37 PM

If it is not possible to pick this kitty up maybe that is what you should be working on. Try gently picking him up from the floor by an inch or two to start. Then gradually working to picking him up to waist height. It may take a while but you said you haven't booked him yet for a visit. Time and patience. You have to start off small. Even just making a point of petting him gently every time you see him may help.

lindapalm

October 19th, 2009, 09:58 PM

You can't bend over to pet him or walk near him, but he will jump on your lap and then you can pet him. I bought a dog carrier that might make it easier, and bought Wellness cat treats, thinking the better ones might lure him better. Yeah, right. Six of my other cats walked into the carrier to check it out, and two slept in it. Ozzie (the one I want to get in) will not get within six feet of it. I tried the suggestion of sitting on the floor and tossing him treats to get him closer to the carrier, he won't eat them. The fact that I'm near the carrier I think makes him suspicious. I'm going to try putting a dish of food in it tomorrow if I can keep the other cats from getting to it first. I'd like to try the sedative pill, but at $15.00 a pill if he wouldn't eat the food I crushed it in (he never does) it would really be a waste.

Love4himies

October 20th, 2009, 06:59 AM

Have you tried raw chicken? Rose won't eat kibble or cat food unless she is really hungry and there is no raw left in her bowl.

This sounds just like Rose. I can't bend over to pat her, I have to be sitting :confused:, normally on the toilet :o. Even if I sit on the floor by her toy box playing with the other kitties, she won't come into the room :shrug:. Also, she will fall all over my feet when I am in the kitchen getting her food ready :shrug:.

I hope you find a way :goodvibes: :fingerscr :pray:

ancientgirl

October 20th, 2009, 09:12 AM

Can you surprise him when you grab him? I've got a former stray who I have to surprise when I grab her to put her in the carrier. I'll walk passed her several times and do other things, then when she's not looking, I'll grab her from behind and quickly put her in the carrier. I have the carrier against the wall, so I can just put her in, close the flap and zip it up.

Melinda

October 20th, 2009, 09:37 AM

I keep welding gloves in my car for wild critters, they pretty well go up to my elbows and now bird, critter or dog has ever managed to bite or scratch through them, I think you'll have to resort to that

eculbert

October 20th, 2009, 10:43 AM

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to get a cat that can't be picked up into a carrier.... .

What I have done is place the carrier with door open wide at breast height if possible. IF your cat is like one I know, then pick cat up rubbing it as you carry it and before it can 'see' the carrier, then just don't move hand from over eyeballs and rub face! Stuff it into carrier in a hurry and slam door quickly! Wear leather gloves and have a thick towel to grab just as the backend of cat is shoved inside to protect yourself with. Misty wakes up about the time the back legs get started inside, so be prepared to overpower the hind legs and shove cat inside. Be quick with door closing and have the back of carrier against wall or something that you can shove against back of cat and not scoot carrier off of on other side. Mentally be prepared for a 'cat cussing out'! Hiss hiss hiss slash! Paw through the grating and trying to 'get ya'! Reason for doubled/quadrupled up towel to hold door closed so cat cannot stick arm through and 'get ya' while you fasten the latch.

Trimming toenails a couple days before helps also. If you can do that. She wont let us do that.

Now Sandy, my cat-son, he will walk right into carrier to 'check it out'! Leash broke in 5 seconds, if that long. Rides on my electric scooter on knee to Petsmart...about 1/2 mile away...on leash...webbing doggie no slip. Yeah, jump my case, no break, but keeps any? panic under control. and ONLY on his neck under my supervision. Loves riding in car at 25/30 mph on my palm which is about 6 inches out open window! Teeth bared by wind, ears plastered back by wind and causing or almost wrecks in next lane as it dawns on them ... THAT'S A CAT!

:thumbs up

lindapalm

October 20th, 2009, 08:12 PM

I put a cover over the carrier, and Ozzie decided to go to its door to check it out. Later took his favorite can of Wellness and he got excited smelling the plate. I put it in the carrier, and he ran away. Pretty sad when your cats smarter than you. I'll give him to Monday, and then will probably have to use a blanket on him.

14+kitties

October 20th, 2009, 09:11 PM

Have you made the appt for him yet? Why not give him a few more days? If he is already going up to the door to check things out he may decide to go in on his own. Don't put his food right in the carrier right now. Start with it near the carrier. It takes time. Give it a good try.

lindapalm

October 21st, 2009, 12:10 AM

Haven't made an appointment, the vet said whenever I get him in the carrier to call him and he'll get him that day. I'll give him till next week, I should know by then whether theres a chance of him entering the carrier on his own.

lindapalm

October 21st, 2009, 09:17 PM

Put some treats a couple of feet from carrier, Ozzie ate them. I threw some in the carrier, he walked away. He came back later when I was in the other room (I was still watching him) and walked halfway into carrier and ate them. No way I could ever get in the room in time to close the carrier door, and I think the brat knew it.

14+kitties

October 21st, 2009, 09:21 PM

But, it's a start. You never know. You can't give up now. It just might be the start of something good. :thumbs up
Try walking back into the room but not going directly toward him. Move the other way at first and slowly make your way around. Do not make eye contact or even look his way. Sometimes we have to be smarter than the cat we are trying to trap.

Jim Hall

October 22nd, 2009, 07:24 AM

put a pice of your clothing in there so it smells famileir

catlover2

October 22nd, 2009, 10:48 AM

Good idea Jim about article of your clothing. Do you have a fleece jacket or something similar? Does your cat liked to be covered up? You could drop of jacket over him and then quickly pick him up and stuff him in the carrier. Would probably work better if you had the carrier covered and on a table that he doesn't see it, but have the door open. Easier to stuff cat in if it's table height. Might be worth a try?

lindapalm

October 22nd, 2009, 02:08 PM

Putting the article of clothing in the carrier is a good idea. I keep throwing treats near it and the other guys get them, and when Ozzie gets one he takes it and runs away with it. Impossible to lock the other guys up and try cause I think Ozzie would really know somethings up. Naturally the sickest cat is the hardest one to catch.

lindapalm

October 22nd, 2009, 08:14 PM

Now I found urine outside the litter box twice today, and the second time it was bloody. I don't know which cat did it, and hate to take each one to vet to find out.

14+kitties

October 22nd, 2009, 09:15 PM

If you can't take them all to the vet the best thing you could do is to isolate them in rooms with a litterbox and wait them out. It is not ideal but you need to find out which one is having issues. You can take turns. One one day, another the next, so on till they all had a chance. JMO

lindapalm

October 23rd, 2009, 06:54 PM

Managed to get urine sample from Ozzie, said there were some crystals in his urine and blood, they're cultering it overnight(whatever that means) to see if theres any bacteria. I asked if they can take him Monday and do his teeth and the kidney thing at the same time, the receptionist said they'll let me know tomorrow. I'm still not 100% convinced the bloody urine was Ozies, I think it could be the second cat that was spraying in the house. Have to get a sample from him next.

dollface

November 5th, 2009, 02:49 AM

If you are still having issues with getting him into the carrier, this video might help! http://www.petfinder.com/videos/petfinder-cat-carrier.html
p.s. if it doesn't load quickly just hit refresh and it should play

This idea helped with my 2 cats, one would pee out the door once we had him in there but now we just leave them out in the corner and they use their soft sided carriers as houses/beds :) It took awhile but it is well worth it in the long run! Whenever it is vet time or taking them to cat hotels when we go away, they just meow and no claws :)

Can't hurt to just leave it out for him to explore whenever he's ready! :goodvibes: